A REWARD of up to £1,500 is being offered after Alsager Town's game on Saturday was abandoned when a lethal crossbow bolt was fired on to the pitch.

The Unibond First Division football match at Woodley Sports was immediately halted by referee Ian Rose when the two-foot carbon fibre arrow, which had narrowly missed the play-ers, was spotted.

It had been fired on to the artificial pitch from outside the ground.

The Stockport-based club is now offering a reward of between £500 to £1,500, depending on the outcome of information provided.

Stadium manager Keith Conway said: 'Police are investigating at the moment but we do not believe it was a deliberate attack on the football ground itself.

'It was a reckless act and it was a very serious incident that could have been much, much worse. As it is we've been lucky.'

The match, attended by a crowd of 140 spectators, including young children, was called off with 12 minutes to go due to fears for the safety of players, officials and spectators. Woodley were winning 3-0.

Alsager Town chairman Graham McGarry said: 'It was a very worrying and frightening incident but one which the match referee Ian Rose dealt with superbly.

'After consulting his assistants, he made the decision to get the players off as quickly as possible due to the possibility of more arrows potentially being fired on to the pitch.'

The incident came as a huge shock to everyone present at the match and none more so than Alsager Town manager Greg Clowes.

Mr Clowes described how the arrow had pitched six inches into the artificial turf and could have led to instant death had a player or spectator been hit.

He said: 'I felt sorry for their left-back, he came off looking like he had seen a ghost. I'll never forget it as long as I live.'

Greater Manchester Police duty officer, Inspector Dave Sacks, said: 'The arrow has been taken away for examination by the forensic department and there is a reward of £500, rising to £1,500, for information leading to an arrest or conviction.'